Remember the summer of 2020? Cities burning, statues toppling, and a nation gripped by fury after George Floyd’s death at the hands of a Minneapolis cop.
Out of that chaos rose Black Lives Matter, the self-proclaimed saviors shaking down donors for cash to fight “systemic racism.” But now, the Justice Department’s peeling back the curtain on what looks like a major scam. Reports are swirling that BLM bigwigs allegedly pocketed tens of millions meant for the cause, turning protest passion into a personal payday.
The feds aren’t messing around. Subpoenas flying left and right, and word is at least one search warrant’s already hit the streets. This isn’t some backwater probe—it’s aimed square at the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation and a web of outfits that lit the fuse on those nationwide street battles against cops and inequality. The Associated Press dropped this bombshell on Thursday, and it’s got the makings of a reckoning long overdue.
Leading the charge is the U.S. Attorney’s Office in California’s Central District, under the sharp eye of Bill Essayli. This guy’s no stranger to calling out the nonsense—back in 2020, as a Republican assemblyman and sharp-suited lawyer, he branded BLM a “radical organization” that was more about disruption than deliverance.
This hunt kicked off under the Biden crew, but it’s only roaring to life now that President Trump’s back in the Oval Office. No more kid gloves for the elite agitators who turned our streets into war zones.
Will handcuffs click shut soon? That’s the million-dollar question—fitting, given the stakes. Criminal charges could be brewing over these fraud whispers that have dogged BLM since the riots cooled. Donors who forked over their savings thinking they were funding justice? They deserve answers, not excuses.
BLM’s mothership, the Global Network Foundation, fired back quick. In a statement to the Associated Press, they claimed they’re “not a target of any federal criminal investigation.” They doubled down with this gem: “We remain committed to full transparency, accountability, and the responsible stewardship of resources dedicated to building a better future for Black communities.”
Let’s rewind to the windfall. Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020, unleashed a torrent of grief and rage. BLM scooped up over $90 million in donations faster than you can say “defund the police.” That cash was supposed to arm the fight against brutality, but whispers turned to shouts about where it all went. Local chapters griped they got crumbs while the top dogs feasted.
Fast-forward to 2022, and the truth trickled out: Donor dollars bankrolled a $6 million mansion in Los Angeles. We’re talking a six-bedroom, six-bathroom palace. Co-founder Patrisse Cullors, the self-anointed queen of the movement, bowed out amid her property spree that looked more like a real estate empire than a revolution.
BLM brass has stonewalled the heat, insisting no lines were crossed. Affiliates across the map vented frustration, saying the foundation hoarded the haul while grassroots warriors scraped by.
Peel back the tax returns, and the picture sharpens. As of June 2024, the foundation’s sitting on $28 million in assets—a war chest that could fund real community lifts if it weren’t tangled in this mess. Instead, it’s fueling federal fury and taxpayer tab for the probe. How much of that loot trickled down to actual change? Precious little, by all accounts.
This isn’t isolated elbow grease. Back in 2022, Indiana’s Attorney General Todd Rokita swung hard, suing the BLM foundation for stonewalling his state’s financial deep dive. They dragged their feet until the courts cracked the whip, then coughed up the documents.
As the subpoenas stack and warrants wave, one thing’s crystal: The party’s over for the protest profiteers.
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